Argyranthemum plant named ‘SUN 340’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘SUN 340’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; double-type inflorescences with dark red-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Argyranthemum frutescens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUN 340’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘SUN 340’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Argyranthemum plants with attractive ray and disc floret colors and good garden performance and pest resistance.

The new Argyranthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2011 in Glandorf, Germany of two unnamed seedling selections of Argyranthemum frutescens, not patented. The new Argyranthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany in July, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum plant by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Glandorf, Germany in March, 2013. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Argyranthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Argyranthemum plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SUN 340’ as a new and distinct Argyranthemum plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Double-type inflorescences with dark red-colored ray florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in plant size and uniformity.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of Argyranthemum frutescens ‘Percussion Red’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Argyranthemum differed from plants of ‘Percussion Red’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had double-type         inflorescences whereas plants of ‘Percussion Red’ had         semi-double-type inflorescences.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Argyranthemum and         ‘Percussion Red’ differed in ray floret color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Argyranthemum showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Argyranthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘SUN 340’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘SUN 340’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany under cultural practices typical of commercial potted Argyranthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 28° C., night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 25 klux to 90 klux. Plants were pinched one time three to four weeks after planting and were 2.5 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Argyranthemum frutescens ‘SUN 340’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Argyranthemum frutescens, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Argyranthemum frutescens, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 8 to 10 days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 10 to 15 days at             temperatures about 14° C. to 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 16             days at temperatures about 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 to 20             days at temperatures about 14° C. to 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to medium in thickness, fibrous;             white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous; compact and uniform             mounding plant habit; upright to broadly spreading form;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching growth habit with about             six lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy             plant form; pinching enhances lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 14.7 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 27.7 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 8.9 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Internode length: About 9 mm. Strength: Strong; young             stems, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             145A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 193B to 193C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 7.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 4 cm.         -   Shape.—Pinnatisect; in outline, obovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Pinnatifid; laciniate.         -   Sinuses.—Parallel to slightly convergent.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             slightly leathery.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between             137B and 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             143B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between             N137C and 147A; venation, close to 137C. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to             138A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form and arrangement.—Double-type terminal and             axillary inflorescences borne above and beyond the foliar             plane; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a             receptacle; inflorescences face mostly upright to slightly             outwardly.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 84             inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Flowering season.—Plants flower from spring to late summer             in Germany; flowering continuous during this period.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two weeks             on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About             7 mm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Towards the base,             close to 143B; mid-section, close to 199B to 199D; towards             the apex, close to 145C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.8 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.9 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.5 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 5 mm. Receptacle height: About 4 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 80 arranged in multiple whorls. Length: About 1.3 cm             to 1.9 cm. Width: About 3 mm to 7 mm. Shape: Oblong to             elliptic and slightly obovate; slightly reflexed with             development. Apex: Obtuse to shallowly retuse. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to N74D; towards the apex, close to 71C             to 71D; towards the base, close to 64A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 64C; central band, close to 68B. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to between 53A and 59B; color             becoming closer to 71A with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 60C.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 200 massed at center of receptacle. Length: About 5 mm             to 6 mm. Diameter, apex: About 1.5 mm to 3 mm. Diameter,             base: About 0.75 mm. Shape: Mostly tubular or lobes may be             separate. Apex: Five-pointed; acute or obtuse. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature with five separate lobes:             Base: Close to 145C to 145D. Mid-section: Close to 153D.             Apex: Close to 12A; at very apex, close to 175B. Color,             mature with five separate lobes: Base: Close to 145C.             Mid-section: Close to 153D. Apex: Close to 12A; at very             apex, close to 175B. Color, immature with one or two             separate lobes: Base and mid-section: Close to 145B to 145C.             Apex: Close to N74D. Color, mature with one or two separate             lobes: Base: Close to 145C. Mid-section: Close to 145B.             Apex: Close to 59A to 59B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 24 arranged in two whorls. Length: About 6 mm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Praemorse. Base: Broadly             cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; margins, papery. Color, upper surface:             Close to 144C; margins, close to 199D. Color, lower surface:             Close to 143A; margins, close to 199D.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4.9 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Angle: Mostly erect to about 50° from vertical. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Filament length: About 1 mm. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 12A.             Pollen amount: Scarce to moderate. Pollen color: Close to             17A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil             length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Decurrent. Stigma color:             Close to 12A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close             to 150D. Ovary color: Close to 145D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Argyranthemum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Argyranthemum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Argyranthemum plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Argyranthemum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,     high temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness     Zone 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Argyranthemum plant named ‘SUN 340’ as illustrated and described. 